Strand striping machine



May 15, 1956 s. E. BoRGEsoN 2,745,377

STRAND STRIRING MACHINE Filed April 2, 1953 IN V ENTOR.

5//VEY 501965 50N United States Patent() STRAND srRIPlNG MACHINE Sidney Elmer Borgeson, Cranston, R. I., assignor to James L. Entwistle Co., Providence, R. I.

Application April 2, 1953, Serial No. 346,333

7 Claims. (CL 118-221) This invention relates to marking machines and more particularly to new and useful improvements in machines of the type disclosed in U. S. Patent 2,344,610 to E. S. Hargreaves et al., andU. S. Patent 2,581,180 to I. L. Entwistle et al., adapted for producing one or more spiral stripes of contrasting color on the covering of electrical conductors, or the like, whereby to distinguish between a plurality of such conductors in a cable, electrical circuit or for other purposes of identification.

In striping machines of the type above identified, ink or its equivalent is supplied to an applicator in the form of a roller disc mounted in a rotatable head which includes an ink reservoir, the head being rotated about the insulated wire, as the latter is pulled through the machine, with the roller disc in engagement therewith on the skew for carrying ink thereto from the reservoir. Such machines are also provided with a head mounting a plurality of applicators and ink reservoirs for producing a plurality of stripes, diering in color, on insulated electrical conductors.

While such striping machines constituted an important advance in the art of marking or coding insulated electrical conductors and the like, they were nevertheless subject to certain disadvantages in their commercial use and operation.

One of such disadvantages arose from the fact that it was necessary frequently to stop the machine to refill the ink reservoirs which are necessarily of small capacity in order to minimize the weight of the rotatable striping head.

Another disadvantage resulted by reason of the decomposition of the ink due to the centrifugal action set up by the rotative speed of the head when the capacity of the ink reservoir was increased. Thus, the speed and output of such prior machines was unnecessarily restricted.

In an attempt to overcome these and other disadvantages, it has been proposed to continuously supply ink from a stationary reservoir to each roller disc or applicator. However, in the arrangement heretofore employed, the mass of the rotatable head was not materially reduced and the ink was open to the atmosphere.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to obviate the disadvantages above referred to by substantially reducing the mass of the striping head whereby striping operations may be carried out at much higher speeds than was practicable heretofore.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved stripping machine as described wherein the supply of ink or equivalent is not adversely aiected or contaminated by the atmosphere as it courses toward one or more roller disc applicators or wheels.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved striping machine as described, wherein the construction is such as to permit of the quick and convenient cleaning of the striping head when it is desired to change the ink supply for the purpose of producing a different color stripe.

A further object of the present invention is to provide ice an improved striping machine as described wherein one or more ink supply reservoirs and a rotatable striping head are adapted to have relative movement.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved striping machine as described wherein the quantity of ink within its rotatable striping head is relatively small whereby centrifuging is greatly reduced if not entirely obviated even at very high speeds.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved striping machine as described which is small in size, simple in construction, adapted to accommodate strands of varying diameter including strands having a relatively small diameter, and wherein an ink supply reservoir for each applicator is supported independently of its striping head for gravity feed of ink thereto and in such manner as to automatically control ink feed in accordance with its rate of use.

The above and other objects of the present invention are attained by the provision of an improved striping head having one or more ink supply reservoirs connected to a plurality of slip-rings journaled thereon, by means of suitable conduits therebetween, neither the reservoirs nor the slip-rings being rotatable with the striping head.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one embodiment thereof when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a rotatable striping head constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view partly in section illustrating the improved striping head with one of a plurality of stationary ink reservoirs therefor, and uid transfer slip-rings including a conduit connecting said head and said reservoir for relative rotation therebetween;

Fig. 3 is a detail view in side elevation of one of the ported striping wheel carriers;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through one of the ported striping wheel carriers showing a striping wheel, a stud-screw for mounting the same therein and a closure plate for said carrier in detached relation thereto.

Referring to the drawings and Fig. 2 in particular, the improved striping or marking head, generally indicated at 10, is adapted to be supported by and driven through a capstan of the type generally indicated at 4 in Patent 2,581,180, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. Thus, illustration of the improved head per se, is deemed sufficient for an understanding of the present invention.

In accordance with the invention, the limproved marking head 10 comprises a ported, upstanding, cylindrical body member 12 dening a reduced bottom end portion 13 and an intermediate shank portion 14 terminating in an enlarged head portion 15 provided with an external screw-thread 16, and a plurality of angularly spaced, radially extending slots 17 in the top face thereof for pivotally mounting thereon a plurality of marking element carriers presently to be described.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the cylindrical body member 12 is provided with a central bore 18 including a counterbore 19 extending therethrough, and an open ended slot 20 extending endwise inwardly of its reduced bottom end 13 whereby a member, also presently to be described, may be clamped in the counterbored end thereof.

The body member 12 is ported by means of a plurality of relatively small bores or passages 22 which extend lengthwise thereof from the slots 17 to spaced points along the shank portion 14 where they each communicate with a transverse bore or passage 23 whereby to provide independent fluid paths leading from the outer periphery of the shank 14 to the aforesaid slots 17 for communication with a plurality of ported striping element carriers or applicators 25 now to be described.

Asbest eshown in Figs. 3 and 4, each of the striping element carriers 25-comprisesa-fflat, elongated-memberin the transverse bore2'7, of each body member26 by means Aof a nut SS'Whereby'the striping 4wheel is disposed on the skew, with respect `to the `axial center of the body member 12, for rotation within the counterbores 28 and29, a suitable closure plate 39beingpress tted into thecounterborepSO for substantially enclosing each of the striping wheels 34 to prevent ink loss during operation.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, each of the aforesaid carriers or applicators 25'is pivotally mounted in one of the slots 17 provided therefor in the uppermost end of the cylindrical'body member 12, by means of a pivot screw 40 presenting a reduced shank portion 41 only partway through the transverse bore 33 in each member 26 whereby its verticallydisposed bore 32 'is in uid communication with one of the bores or passagesv22 opening into each of the slots 17'.

The striping wheel carriers 25 are adjustedradially of the'axial center of the body member 12, about their pivot screws 40, by means of a flanged collar 42 internally threaded for up and'down adjustment on the screw threads 16, provided therefor on the upper end 15 'of the body member 12, with its flanged end in supporting engagement with the outer bottom corner portion of each of the body members 26 whereby the striping rollers or wheels 34 are radially adjustable relative to the diameter of an insulated wire W to be drawn through the improved striping head.10.

Further in accordance with the present invention, a plurality of ported `slip-rings, 43,' formed of an ink resistant metal or the like with` each ring provided with an annular groove 44 in the inner periphery thereof and an inlet opening 45 extending radially therefrom to its outer periphery, are journaled on the shank portion 14 Vof the body member 12 with their annulargrooves 44 in register respectively with the transverse openings 23 provided therefor in the said shank portion 14, said slip-rings being f provided with an internal annular groove 47 seating aV suitable annular gasket 48 therein, also journaled on said shank portion 14.

As shown in Fig.` 2, theV slip-rings 43 together with the interposed spacerrings `46, journaled on the shank portion 14, are pre-loaded Lagainst the shoulder S in ink sealing relation by means .of a counterbored collar 49, secured on its reduced end vportion 13 with a set-screw 50, and a suitable coil springSlV disposed between the collar 49 and the bottomspacer. ring 46,' whereby a uid transfer path from the inlet opening 45 in each slipring 43 to each stripingpwheel 34 is established.

The slip-rings 43'are individuallyor collectively connected to a stationary ink supply, mounted independently of the striping head '10,' comprisinga suitable upstandi'ng base member 52, of metal o-r non-metallicV material adapted for supporting an ink container 53in an inverted ink feedingposition laterally of therstripinghead 10,y the base member 52being provided with a suitable'outle't nipple 54 in fluid communication` with asuitable Vinkv well ,55 therein `adaptedto provide-auid seal for the open end of the inverted container.53 in knownmanner.-

The outlet nipple 54, preferably .of brass, leading from the well or trough 55 in the base member 52, is connectedto at least `one similar nipple 56, having one'end thereof inserted in the inlet opening 45 formed in each of the slip-rings 43, by means of a rigid or exible conduit 58 whereby ink will ow through the slip-rings 43, transverse bores 23 and vertical bores 22 in the body member 12 and finally intoy thebore 32 formed lengthywise of each of the pivotally mounted body members 26.

The invertedV ink container-53 aforesaid, "is supported at such elevation relative to the stripingwheels; 34 that the ink will seek itsfowny level in the.bore,32lin each body member 26 at a point P from which the ink will rise, upon rotation of the striping head, into the counterbores 29 and onto the respective striping wheels.34, in response to the centrifugal syphon eiect" resulting from the location of the outlet end of the passages 32, opening into the counterbores 29, a greater distance radially of the axis of the body member 12 than the inlet vopenings-23 therein at the slip-rings.

The upper portion of the central bore 18in the cylindrical body member 12 is provided withk a slidably insertableV collet sleeve 60 having a reducedQbore at its upper end corresponding substantiallyto thel diameter of the insulated wire W to be drawn through the striping head 10 whereby to maintain ythe wireW axially, central of the upper end portionof the body member 12as it passes between the striping WheelsV 34.- Thus, for insulated wire of varying diameters, a corresponding. collet sleeve Ellisv sleeve 61 disposed'inthe counterbore 19, provided there- Y for in the cylindrical body member 12, and frmlysecured therein by the contracting action of the collar v49 on its reduced, slotted end portion 13.vr

The striping head Vis vvertically disposedon a bracket B carried by a suitable capstan, by the extension of the a lowermost free end portion ofthe tubular sleeve 61 through a bearing aperture 62therein, a pinion 63 being( secured on the dependingend portion of the sleeve 61, against the underside of the bracket B, by a suitable setscrew 64 in the hub of the pinion. Thus, the striping head 10 is adaptedto be driven, throughv the pinion63 relative to the slip-rings 43 and the ink container 53 and` the wire W drawn through the sleeve 61, collet sleeve 60 f and striping wheels 34.v

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present invention provides a rotatable-striping head including a stationary ink supply, wherein the ow-of1inkto the striping-head is, automatically regulated .in VVaccordancewith 1 the rate of ink ow, in `response to centrifugal force, from its normal level P in thebore 32 in each ofthe striping wheel carriers 25, to the stripingwheels-34 by way of the counterbores.29..in which the wheels 34 rotate.

plurality of ported slip-rings 43 in fluid communication with a plurality of relatively small intersectingboresor passages opening into` thecounterbores -29 vin which theV striping wheels 34 rotate, permits Vof the construction of a relatively small striping head having a minimum mass whereby its operationy at high rotational speeds is made practicable.-

Throughout the specification wherever it occurs, the term ported is to beunderstood Vto refer to a member which is provided with one or moreinletand: outlet ports i or openings in the form of relativelysmall bores or passages extending lengthwise and/ or transversely thereof for internal or external registration withsimilar bores or passages in a correlatedV member whereby such members may be coupled for relative rotation in fluid transfer relation.

While one practical embodiment ofthe present invention has been illustrated and described-,it is-to be expressly understood that various other embodiments thereof are possible. transfer means, 43 including the yconduits 58fftherebetween Moreover, ink feed through they striping head 10 by way of a For example, the ink supplyf53tand thepink* maybe rotated about the striping head at a much slower speed than that at which the said head is driven. Therefore, the present invention is not to be limited except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A rotatable striping head in which a marking uid is supplied thereto from a stationary reservoir, comprising a pivotally mounted tubular body member provided with fluid passages therethrough, an applicator provided with uid passages therethrough pivotally mounted on said body member on the skew for rotation therewith about a strand passing through said body member, a collar adjustably mounted on said body member in cooperative engagement with said applicator whereby said applicator is adjustable relative to said strand, an annular valve journaled on said body member in uid transfer relation with said applicator, and a conduit connected to and between said reservoir and annular valve.

2. A rotatable striping head in which a marking uid is supplied thereto from a stationary reservoir, comprising a pivotally mounted tubular body member provided with iluid passages therethrough, an applicator provided with tiuid passages therethrough pivotally mounted on said body member on the skew for rotation therewith about a strand passing through said body member, a guide sleeve within said body member for maintaining said strand axially thereof, a collar adjustably mounted on said body member in cooperative engagement with said applicator whereby said applicator is adjustable relative to said strand, an annular valve journaled on said body member in uid transfer relation with said applicator, and a condaulit connected to and between said reservoir and annular v ve.

3. A rotatable striping head comprising a ported tubular body member, a rotary striping element including a ported housing therefor pivotally mounted on said body member with said element on the skew relative to the axial center of said body member for rotation therewith about a strand passing through said body member, means within said body member for maintaining said strand axially thereof in yadvance of said striping element, adjustable means carried by said body member in coactable relation with said ported housing whereby said element is adjustable radially of said strand, a ported slip-ring journaled on said body member in uid communication with said ported housing, a reservoir for supplying a marking fluid to said element, `and conduit means secured to and between said slip-ring and reservoir.

4. A rotatable striping head in which a marking uid is supplied thereto from a separate fluid reservoir, comprising a pivotally mounted tubular body member provided with fluid passages therethrough, a rotary striping element including a housing therefor provided with fluid passages therethrough in communication with said element, said housing being pivotally mounted on said body member with said element on the skew relative to the axial center thereof for rotation with said body member about a strand passing therethrough, a guide sleeve within said body member for maintaining said strand axially thereof,

a collar threaded on said body member in cooperative engagement with said pivoted housing whereby said striping element is adjustable relative to said strand, a ported slip-ring journaled on said body member in iluid communication with said housing, and a conduit connected to and between said reservoir and slip-ring.

5. A rotatable striping head comprising a ported cylindrical body member through which an elongated article is passed in the vertical direction, a ported carrier member pivotally mounted in the upper end of said body member, a rotary striping element pivotally mounted on said carrier member, a collar adjustably secured on said body member in supporting engagement with said carrier member whereby said striping element is radially adjustable relative to the axial center of said body member, a ported slip-ring including a spacer ring journaled on said body member in iluid transfer relation with said carrier member, an inverted ink container supported independently of said body member, and a conduit connected to and between said slip-ring and said ink container, said ink container being supported on a level relative to said striping element corresponding to a point intermediate said carrier member whereby ink is supplied to said striping element by centrifugal action in response to rotation of said body member.

6. A rotatable striping head according to claim 5, and in which said slip-ring and said spacer ring are pre-loaded in ink sealing relation by spring means including a collar secured on said body member.

7. A rotatable striping head comprising a cylindrical body member provided with a plurality of separate passages terminating in inlet and outlet openings, a plurality of rotary striping elements including a ported carrier for each of said elements pivotally mounted on said body member with said elements on the skew relative to the axial center of said body member for rotation therewith about a strand passing vertically through said body member, means within said body member for maintaining said strand axially thereof in advance of said striping elements, adjustable means carried by said body member in coactable relation with said carriers whereby said striping elements are adjustable relative to said strand, a plurality of ported slip-rings including spacer rings journaled on said body member in fluid communication with said carriers through said separate passages, a reservoir for supplying a marking uid to said striping elements, and conduit means secured to and between saidslip rings and reservo1r.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,776,529 Weinerth Sept. 23, 1930, 1,909,260 Forbes May 16, 1933 2,537,884 Forsberg Jan. 9, 1951 2,592,675 Forsberg Apr. 15, 1952 2,581,180 Entwistle et al. Ian. 1, 1952 2,592,667 Donnan Apr. 15, .1952 2,592,674 Forsberg Apr. 15, 1952 

